Let It Be

When I find myself in times of trouble

Mother Mary comes to me

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

And in my hour of darkness

She is standing right in front of me

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be

Let it be, let it be

Whisper words of wisdom

Let it be

And when the brokenhearted people

Living in the world agree

There will be an answer, let it be

For though they may be parted

There is still a chance that they will see

There will be an answer, let it be

Let it be, let it be

Let it be, let it be

Yeah, there will be an answer, let it be

Let it be, let it be

Let it be, let it be

Whisper words of wisdom

Let it be

Let it be, let it be

Let it be, yeah, let it be

Whisper words of wisdom

Let it be

And when the night is cloudy

There is still a light that shines on me

Shine on until tomorrow, let it be

I wake up to the sound of music

Mother Mary comes to me

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Yeah, let it be, let it be

Let it be, yeah, let it be

There will be an answer, let it be

Let it be, let it be

Let it be, yeah, let it be

Whisper words of wisdom

Let it be

Friends

"I get by with a little help from my friends." - John Lennon

To all of my beloved friends that enrich my life everyday....the words just don't do it justice, but thank you.

Thank you for making me laugh, for letting me cry, for pushing me to be better and for allowing me to be less.  It's you who make me who I am and I'm so grateful.

Friends come in many shapes and sizes but not one less important than the next.  For each of you bring something to my life and hold a place in my heart forever. 

I wonder why old friendships have faded or when new ones will blossom. I'm saddened when we lose touch or grow apart but I know it is for a reason.  Some friends are meant to be there for merely moments of your life and others you will always walk side by side with.  But each person and friendship is remembered forever in my heart and has taught me things that I will always carry with me.

To old friends I've lost along the way, I remember you and I'm thankful we shared a world at one time, however long that may have been.  And to my lifelong friends that never leave my side, I could not survive without you.  You complete my life and fill my heart with happiness everyday.  Our hearts will forever be entangled and I wouldn't have it any other way.

So remember that you are loved and appreciated beyond words. And I am forever indebted to you for all that you have given me.

Life Happens to throw you a handful of amazing people in your life and I will always be thankful and hold tight with both hands and a full heart.

Bright Side

" Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow." - Helen Keller

Of all the lessons I've learned so far in my life (some learned the easy way, but most the hard way) I think the most important of all is to look at the bright side of things.  Its just a fact of life that things aren't always going to go as planned and some days are just plain going to be screwed up beyond belief.  But if you don't figure out how to roll with it, you'll miss out on all the fun that sneaks up on you in between the messes.

So this blog is dedicated to my dog Auto who teaches me something new everyday and reminds me all the time in all different ways to look at the bright side of things, because if I didn't I would probably lose my mind :)

So here's to Auto and what he has taught me along the way:

There is more than one way to skin a cat...or in this case, get a toy out of a bin.  Sometimes you just have to think outside of the box (or rip the box apart starting from the side.)

Let loved ones in because it's always better to have a companion in the ride of life...even if they cramp your style sometimes or you don't always see eye to eye on things like who rides shotgun...

Never underestimate the importance of a good nights sleep (even if you have to steal someone's pillow to get it.)

Surround yourself with loved ones because when you do, everyday feels like a welcome home party...sometimes there is even confetti (or what looks suspiciously like pieces of the ball you bought yesterday).

So try your best to see the good in all situations because otherwise you'll just end up broke, miserable, tired and lonely.  Life is good and there is something to be happy about everyday, you just have to look for it and let yourself smile about it no matter what!

(And if that doesn't work, get yourself a dog and you'll learn really quick not to let things get you down when Life Happens to surprise you).  :)

Faith

"Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies." - Mother Teresa

To my broken hearted friend,

I know that the world seems to have crumbled around you and your heart must ache more than you ever thought possible but this letter is to tell you that it is all going to be ok...if you just keep your faith.

I know that you are going to have moments where it seems impossible and pointless to keep trying but remember that you are never alone and all you have to do is ask when you need a little help or a push start.

Don't think too much about the big stuff...just focus on one little thing at a time and then slowly move up to one day at a time. And eventually it will turn into one week and even one month at a time that you can handle.

You've never really known your own strength, but I have.  And you are plenty strong enough to make it through.  I promise you that.  And remember I am always here to pick up the slack on the hard parts.

Don't lose your faith in the world or in yourself and most importantly don't lose your faith in love.  It truely does conquer all and it will prevail.  It may not be tomorrow or next week or even next year, but in the end I promise it will.

I love and care about you more than these words could ever say, and I have faith in you and your strength so far beyond what you can see in yourself right now.  So trust me when I say that you are going to be just fine.

So here is to having faith and trusting in God that Life Happens just the way it is supposed to happen, even when you can't see why.

Your,
Forever Friend

Diet Coke Snob

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits."

 - Unknown

So...I guess I would have to consider myself a bit of a snob when it comes to anything I eat or drink.  And its definitely not because I am super anal and picky (pick up on that sarcasm?) its just that I am generally very health conscious and spend most of my meals eating cardboard and water.  So when I do decide to jump off that wagon and enjoy some not-so-healthy food and beverage, I want it to be well worth it and taste just how I like it!  If I'm gonna do it, then I'm gonna do it right!  (And yes I am aware of my horrible dieting skills, moderation is not a word I comprehend). 

Now that you understand where I am coming from I'll explain my stupidity that arose a few nights ago...

So its Sunday night and I have some oh-so-delicious and unhealthy chinese food to eat that my wonderful H ordered.  So of course I have to wash it down with a freezing cold crispy diet coke...right?  And I LOVE my diet cokes, but I only drink a few a week and I like them to be a particular way (surprise surprise).  They have to be icy cold and either out of a can or a fountain drink.  I happen to have some cans on hand but they aren't in the refrigerator.  Crap... I'm hungry and I just refuse to eat this chinese food without my freezing cold favorite diet bev!

Now what?

Ahhh...genius...I'll put it in the freezer!! So I ask my H how long he thinks it will take for my can to get cold without freezing?  He says maybe 20 minutes.  Sweet! I can wait that long to eat for sure.  So I put my can right on the ice in the ice tray.  Mmmm....its gonna be icy cold in no time!

Now your probably thinking....oh no she forgot about it and left in there.  Nope....of course I remembered...I was hungry! So I get it out about 20 minutes later, pop that top and OH BABY its icy cold and perfect!! I dish up some orange chicken, fried rice, and an egg roll and go to town on my meal!! Delicious!! 

But about half way through my meal...I think oh crap I might want a second diet coke, so no problem...I'll just pop another one in the freezer.....bad move.  So I finish my plate...and go on with my lazy Sunday night enjoying my full belly. :)  Ahhh bliss...

Then about 4 hours later around 10:30 pm as I'm vegging on the couch enjoying my recorded shows and thinking about heading up and hit the sac....yep, you guessed it...

KABOOM!!!

Notice the brown slush splattered all over and the whole top of the can missing.

So the answer to the question I posed earlier is....5 hours is too long to leave your diet coke in the freezer.  Idiot!! 

After I get up from hitting the deck (because I was sure a shot gun had just gone off) I realize it was that damn second can of diet coke!! Noooooo!!! So I creep over to the freezer and open the door to find a war zone of diet coke slushy on and in EVERYTHING!!!

FML.

So the moral of the story is...Life Happens...in the effing freezer if you leave your diet coke in there for 5 hours!!!!

Nemesis

"I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it."
  - Mae West

The dreaded glorious Friday doughnut...sigh...

Here we go again, its Friday, and I've worked so hard all we long to stick to my diet, work out, get the pounds to start coming off...and there they are just staring at me.....DOUGHNUTS!!!

Whhhyyyyyy?!

So this is what my plan is:  I'll avoid them completely, eat only the healthy food I've brought for myself and it won't be a problem at all...easy breezy right?

YA RIGHT!!

This is what is really going to happen:  I'm gonna think about them alllll day long, maybe walk by and open the box to look (and smell..mmmmm) once or twice, go over it and over it in my head whether its worth it or not, look up the nutrition facts multiple times online, consider eating just a bite, or maybe a half, talk myself out of it (repeat that cycle over and over again about 3,000 times) until the afternoon hits and its do or die...I'll have avoided them all day now...and one of two things will happen:  I'll either take one (or two) really quick and shove it down my throat and enjoy my 30 seconds of blissful gluttony (then regret it immediately after for 3 days and kick myself for the heart burn and guilt it has caused) Or....I'll desperately drag myself away kicking a screaming without eating one and prevail!!  (Not likely)

Ugh...Fridays are the WORST!!!

So as I sit here...in agony...I think I really am going to prevail this week because the problem is, if I have a doughnut...its never just a doughnut.  It'll turn into a fattening sandwich for lunch, mexican food for dinner, skipping the Friday work out, a half assed healthy day Saturday and full blown off the wagon Sunday.  Then I will feel alllll guilty and depressed and have to start all over again on Monday.  And you know what happens a few days after Monday?  Yep you guessed it...EFFING FRIDAY!!!  (No wonder I never lose any weight).

And now I have realized...I just really can't touch the doughnuts...you know why?  I've just figured it out...I can NEVER have another doughnut again in fact,  if I want to EVER have a chance at dropping the lb's!  Because, not only is the doughnut my Nemesis...but it is my GATEWAY DRUG!! It only leads to all kinds of other bad bad bad things!!

I must quit!! Cold turkey!! How does one live in a life without doughnuts?!

So five minutes has passed...and I have come to the conclusion that Life Happens to SUCK without doughnuts!!

Ugh....

Two Great Loves

"A hundred hearts would be too few to carry all my love for you" - Unknown

Today is a tribute to the two great loves in my life (not including my H cause he is a given) :

 Auto my puppy and Chinese Chicken Salads.  Ahhh Bliss....

Today I woke up as usual on a Thursday morning.  The alarm went off at 6:15...hit the Snooze...then it went off again at 6:20...hit the Off (thinking it was the snooze.)  Ahhh back to sleep.  Then I woke suddenly looking around thinking....hmmm it seems offly light for so early in the morning...CRAP its not early...its 6:55..and I have to leave at 7:15 for work!!

Now don't get me wrong, I am a pretty low maintenance girl so this is doable  most days.  But aww man I did not prepare for my day the night before as usual!!  I have to fit in a shower, makeup, throw a cute outfit together, grab some breakfast, pack a lunch, and let my pup Auto out (who is not a morning puppy, and moves even slower than I do in the morning, we're such soul mates teehee!).

So now I'm just in a bad mood, feeling so ugly as I never seem to have enough time to make myself look presentable, tired as all get out, mad at myself for being late AGAIN, and super frustrated that it isn't Saturday yet.  So I'm sloppily put together, grabbing my purse, throwing some earrings on and I go to Auto's little house that he sleeps in, already frustrated at how long I know its gonna take him to get out and go potty and what do I find when I unzip the door...

Now I don't know about you...but this was all I needed to wash all my irritations, frustrations, and everything elses away.  How can you not smile at this? I instantly forgot everything that was bothering me and laughed out loud, waking my H!! We truly could learn a thing or two from our dogs cause nobody knows how to enjoy life more than my pup Auto.  

So here is to one of my two great loves in this world, Auto. It truly does not matter what else is going wrong around me...he never ceases to put a smile on my face. :)

Now for my second great love...probably could of guessed it would be a food right?

The oh so sacred Chinese Chicken Salad...

Now unless you have never ever eaten a meal with me before (which is very unlikely if you know me at all, cause God knows this girl loves to eat) than you probably already know of my love for chinese chicken salads.  But for those of you who don't know...let me just explain that I am a bit of a connoisseur of them.  I have had them anywhere and everywhere and could tell you everything about what makes up each of one that ever existed. 

In fact, if there were a contest for being able to identify chinese chicken salads from around the globe and/or eating the most chinese chicken salad in one sitting....I would be Champion of the World. 

That being said, I will continue with my day:  So work was a typical long day, had to spend my lunch at the bank changing accounts and credit cards, unenthusiastically ate all my healthy packed food throughout the day (still on that diet of course),  sat in a butt load of traffic on the way home, came home to a dirty house, then forced my butt to get on the treadmill for 40 minutes. Ugh...exhausted.

So once i finished working on my fitness, I came down to the kitchen to try out my new recipe for a Chinese Chicken Salad.... Now I knew this was going to go one of two ways...Disaster or Bliss.

And low and behold, I put all of the ingredients together (along with the chicken my H BBQ'd for me earlier, as I still have a fear of cooking chicken, plus he makes the BEST chicken in the world) and guess what happened...Bliss!!!! 

(Here is a pic, minus the chicken...mmmm) 

And I just have to admit, for a healthy version of this salad, which normally includes won tons and fatty dressing, it was DELICIOUS!! I was so proud of myself and I sat there enjoying every bite in utter happiness thoroughly enjoying my life for the moment.

So that's all it takes for me folks....my puppy Auto and a great chinese chicken salad.  Ahhh Bliss...

So don't be afraid to admit your love for great things in your life (even if it is a salad). And don't forget to enjoy these simple pleasures...cause that is what makes the world go round and how a blissful

Life Happens.